22 December 2010

Remarks made by President Obama at this morning's signing ceremony of the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Repeal Act of 2010, emailed by the White House Press Office to R20:

AUDIENCE MEMBER: You rock, President Obama!

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you, thank you, thank you. (Laughter.)

You know, I am just overwhelmed. This is a very good day. (Applause.) And I want to thank all of you, especially the people on this stage, but each and every one of you who have been working so hard on this, members of my staff who worked so hard on this. I couldn’t be prouder.

Sixty-six years ago, in the dense, snow-covered forests of Western Europe, Allied Forces were beating back a massive assault in what would become known as the Battle of the Bulge. And in the final days of fighting, a regiment in the 80th Division of Patton’s Third Army came under fire. The men were traveling along a narrow trail. They were exposed and they were vulnerable. Hundreds of soldiers were cut down by the enemy.

And during the firefight, a private named Lloyd Corwin tumbled 40 feet down the deep side of a ravine. And dazed and trapped, he was as good as dead. But one soldier, a friend, turned back. And with shells landing around him, amid smoke and chaos and the screams of wounded men, this soldier, this friend, scaled down the icy slope, risking his own life to bring Private Corwin to safer ground.

For the rest of his years, Lloyd credited this soldier, this friend, named Andy Lee, with saving his life, knowing he would never have made it out alone. It was a full four decades after the war, when the two friends reunited in their golden years, that Lloyd learned that the man who saved his life, his friend Andy, was gay. He had no idea. And he didn’t much care. Lloyd knew what mattered. He knew what had kept him alive; what made it possible for him to come home and start a family and live the rest of his life. It was his friend.

And Lloyd’s son is with us today. And he knew that valor and sacrifice are no more limited by sexual orientation than they are by race or by gender or by religion or by creed; that what made it possible for him to survive the battlefields of Europe is the reason that we are here today. (Applause.) That's the reason we are here today. (Applause.)

So this morning, I am proud to sign a law that will bring an end to “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” (Applause.) It is a law -- this law I’m about to sign will strengthen our national security and uphold the ideals that our fighting men and women risk their lives to defend.

No longer will our country be denied the service of thousands of patriotic Americans who were forced to leave the military -– regardless of their skills, no matter their bravery or their zeal, no matter their years of exemplary performance -– because they happen to be gay. No longer will tens of thousands of Americans in uniform be asked to live a lie, or look over their shoulder, in order to serve the country that they love. (Applause.)

As Admiral Mike Mullen has said, “Our people sacrifice a lot for their country, including their lives. None of them should have to sacrifice their integrity as well.” (Applause.)

That’s why I believe this is the right thing to do for our military. That’s why I believe it is the right thing to do, period.

"No longer will tens of thousands of Americans in uniform be asked to live a lie or look over their shoulder," Mr. Obama said during a signing ceremony in a packed auditorium at the Interior Department here. Quoting the chairman of his joint chiefs of staff, Admiral Mike Mullen, Mr. Obama went on, "Our people sacrifice a lot for their country, including their lives. None of them should have to sacrifice their integrity as well."

For Mr. Obama, the ceremony — held at the Interior Department because the White House is tied up with holiday tours — marked yet another in a string of last-minute, bipartisan legislative triumphs, a surprising turnaround in the wake of the self-described “shellacking” his party took at the polls last month. ... For the gay rights movement, which has been frustrated with the pace of progress under Mr. Obama, Wednesday marked a celebratory turning point. “Thank you, Mr. President,” someone shouted, as Mr. Obama took the stage, prompting a round of other shouts: “Chicago’s in the house, Mr. President! You rock, Mr. President!” Mr. Obama pronounced himself overwhelmed.

The President is seen speaking to former Staff Sgt. Eric Alva, the first Marine injured in Iraq.

The White House invited Rod 2.0 and a number of bloggers and activists to the historic event. Given plans and the timing, we weren't able to fly to D.C. last night, but are proud and honored the White House reached out to so many people. The complete video, WHEN YOU JUMP ...

"The Defense Department starts the clock next week on what is expected to be a several-year process in lifting its ban on gays from serving openly in the military.A special investigation into how the ban can be repealed without hurting the morale or readiness of the troops was expected to be announced Tuesday by Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. While the review is likely to take the better part of this year to complete, and even more time to implement, its initiation will advance President Barack Obama's goal of repealing the ban and bring a divisive issue for the military back to the fore."

The focus of the "special investigation"? Showers, barracks and a few "practical issues" ...

"The review to be announced next week was expected to delve into practical issues that surround changing the law: Can a soldier be forced to room with someone who is openly gay if they are the same sex? Would the military recognize civil unions and how much would it cost to extend benefits to a service member's partner? Would quotas be imposed to ensure openly gay service members aren't passed over for promotions?"

The only "practical" issues raised here are the administering of benefits. There are already thousands of gays and lesbians serving (and showering) with honor alongside their straight counterparts. Study after study shows morale will not be compromised. And a majority of service members polled support a repeal.

Also: California Democratic Rep. Susan Davis announced the House will hold another DADT hearing on March 3. Davis chairs the Military Personnel Subcommittee of the House Armed Services Committee. You may recall that Davis took an aggressive lead into the investigation of the murder of Seaman August Provost, the black gay sailor who was ambushed and killed by another soldier at Camp Pendelton last summer. Davis is a strong ally, which helps because House Armed Services Chairman Ike Skelton ("D"-MO) is against the repeal.

15 September 2009

Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) introduces the Respect for Marriage Act (RMA), which would overturn the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), the 1996 law that prevents the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages. Nadler was flanked by openly gay Representatives Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and Jared Polis of Colorado, and representatives of national and state LGBT advocacy.

In addition to Nadler, Baldwin and Polis, the leading co-sponsors are John Conyers of Michigan, John Lewis of Georgia, Nydia Velazquez of New York and Barbara Lee of California (seen to the right of Nadler). There are 91 co-sponsors in total. Complete list here.

Nadler calls the RMA "the first step to
overturning the Defense of Marriage Act and sending that ugly law into
the history books where it belongs."

The Advocate's Kerry Eleveld covered the Capitol Hill news conference: "Nadler later read a statement from former President Bill Clinton thanking [the sponsors] for introducing the legislation. Clinton signed DOMA into law in 1996. 'Throughout my life I have opposed discrimination of any kind,' Clinton said in the statement. 'When the Defense of Marriage Act was passed, gay couples could not marry anywhere in the United States or the world for that matter. Thirteen years later, the fabric of our country has changed, and so should this policy.'"

In addition to Lee and Conyers, sponsoring members of the Congressional Black Caucus include Alcee Hastings (FL), Yvette Clarke (NY), Donna Edwards (MD), Chaka Fatah (PA) and Jesse Jackson Jr. (IL). The National Black Justice Coalition calls on the entire CBC to support the legislation. Says Deputy Director Jason Bartlett: "As African Americans, we know all too well the injustices that laws such as this impose on our communities and our families. As African Americans, we are sensitive to the federal government trying to define our families. Let us consign the mistakes of the past to history and move forward together. We call on Congress to pass the Respect to Marriage Act as we continue to fight for our civil rights."

The Human Rights Campaign reports the Respect for Marriage Act "would restore the rights of all lawfully married couples—including same-sex couples—to receive the benefits of marriage under federal law. The bill also provides same-sex couples with certainty that federal benefits and protections would flow from a valid marriage celebrated in a state where such marriages are legal, even if a couple moves or travels to another state...rights like Social Security survivors’ benefits, medical leave to care for an ailing spouse and equal treatment under U.S. immigration laws along."

Not present at the news conference was openly Rep.
Barney Frank, whosays the bill has "zero" chance passage in the near term and believes several federal lawsuits challenging DOMA will be more successful. Nadler disagrees:
"Mr. Frank knows better than anyone that our opponents will falsely
claim that any DOMA repeal bill 'exports marriage' in an effort to
generate fear and misunderstanding. But the dishonest tactics of our
opponents should not stop us from aggressively pushing to end this
horrific discrimination now. Our bill does not tell any state who it
must marry or what marriage it must recognize under state law."

09 July 2009

There are new developments in the investigation into the death of Navy Seaman August Provost III, the black gay sailor from Houston brutally murdered at Camp Pendleton near San Diego. Sources close to the investigation report the Secretary of the Navy has dispatched an investigative team to Pendleton. Also, extremely disturbing and graphic details have emerged of the so-called "random" act of violence.

The official request for an investigation of the August Provost murder was made by San Diego's Democratic Congresswoman Susan Davis, the Chair of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel. The source says Secretary of the Navy Raymond Mabus "has sent 20 investigators to Camp Pendleton."

Rose Roy, Provost's aunt who lives outside Houston, said "Provost spoke with her about being harassed and ostracized at Camp Pendleton because he was gay and black." The Navy maintains there is "no evidence" to suggest that this was a hate crime and insists it was "random act" of violence.

Rep. Bob Filner (D) of suburban Chula Vista, chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee, says his panel will investigate, too, and asked the Defense Department and Marine Corps to determine whether the killing was a hate crime. Filner added: "There's some disturbing elements to this. He was harassed in the days leading up to this."

One "person of interest" remains in custody. Two others are being sought. No formal charges are filed yet.

Roy says it was about a year ago when her nephew told her and his superiors he was being harassed because he was black and gay. San Diego City Commissioner Stampp Corbin, who also is black and gay, has been closely following the investigation and says Provost's lack of recourse is a direct result of the military's failed "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy. Commissioner Corbin tells Rod 2.0: "August Provost, and others like him, are often harassed because of the perception they are gay or lesbian, not because of homosexual conduct. If August reported the harassment, would that have been "telling" and therefore lead to a discharge? That is the quandary gay and lesbian military personnel face in these situations."